Success factors and criteria of international sport event projects.

Dancsecz, Gabriella ; Szabo, Lajos

1. INTRODUCTION

National sport associations of West and Central Europe play more and more significant and year-by-year extending roles in organizing international sport events. The reason for this is, on one hand, providing financial background for sport organizations, on the other hand, the propagation of sports and national athletes. (Nyerges & Petroczi, 2007) In addition to this international sport competitions are more and more in the focus of interest each year, their preparation and implementation are constantly followed by media coverage and news reports.

2. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

It is a wide-ranging and extremely complicated task to organize such large sport events, to manage the activities and to co-ordinate the participants' work. Therefore, nowadays it is ineluctable to apply the methods of project management and event organization for the sake of organizing successful and efficient events. Studying the success of sport event projects we need to distinguish the concept of project success factors and that of success criterion. Project success factors are facts and circumstances that influence the accomplishment of a project, whereas project success criteria are principles and requirements on the basis of which project results can be evaluated (Lim & Mohamed, 1999)

2.1 Project success criteria

Concerning the results of sport competitions arises the question when to consider a project successful. Among several approaches mentioned in literature towards project success, the most commonly accepted conception is the so-called project triangle, according to which a project can be regarded successful if it is carried out by an appointed deadline and under cost constraints, fulfilling specified quality parameters. (Turner & Cochrane, 1993) However, this approach does not satisfactorily evaluates project success, since examining the fulfilment of deadline, cost constraints and quality parameters indicates merely the direct contribution to profit, whereas it omits taking into account if the project was implemented properly, in the right way. (Kerzner, 2006) Theoretical studies and empirical researches of success criteria reveal that the analysis of project success is an extremely complicated task even if studied from diverse view-points and by different dimensions. Among the aspects of evaluation we can find quantitative, objectively measurable criteria, like cost and time constraints; and there are qualitative criteria rather measured in indirect, subjective ways, just as stakeholders' satisfaction or long term effects.

2.2 Project success factors

When analysing project success factors, two groups of critical factors can be defined, which date back to the task orientated and relation orientated categories established within the frame of researches of personal management at Ohio and Michigan Universities. Task orientation focuses on objectives, achievements and activity of staff, whereas relation orientation focuses on interest towards staff, teamwork of colleagues as well as on the relationship between different departments, customers and clients. (Blake & McCanse, 1992) This twofold objective also emerges in the area of project management, during the implementation of projects. Task orientation, in this respect, consists of business activities, systems and processes applied by the organization in order to accomplish the project, whereas relation orientation focuses on individual members of the organization, groups involved and communication. (Kendra & Taplin, 2004)

3. THE RESEARCH MODEL

The research model, elaborated based on analysis of professional literature and practical experience, presents success factors and criteria of sport event projects as well as relationships potentially existing between the elements of the model. In the model, factors contributing to the success of sport event projects are split into three main parts: task orientation, relation orientation and random impacts. The partition into task and relation orientation is based on the professional analysis, whereas the category of random impacts was formed during the analysis of concrete events, as we can deduce from experience that unexpected incidents (e.g. extremes of weather, riots, etc.) can impose significant influence on the efficiency of events. These three factors together affect the success of sport events, which we can measure on the basis of success criteria, that is, by analysing the implementation of objectives and the satisfaction of stakeholders.

4. APPLIED METHODOLOGY

We apply empirical analysis and secondary research to validate the elaborated research model. In the course of the empirical survey we made personal interviews with the organizers of sporting events in order to learn about their experience. In addition to this, we gathered information from organizers of European and World Championships, held between 2000 and 2008 in selected European countries, using questionnaires. In the present phase of the research, the questionnaire data collection, the interviews as well as the analysis of the documentation of selected sport events have been completed. In the course of statistical analyses so far we have done sorting of the model's indicators, applying Factor Analysis. The next steps are going to be studying of correlation between elements of the model with Regression Analysis.

5. RESULTS OF THE STUDY

5.1 Results of the Factor Analysis

As a result of a questionnaire data collection we have a basis of 102 questionnaires to make Factor Analysis supported by the SPSS program. In the sample organizers of European and World Championships organized in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia evaluated the experiences of their latest sport events. In the course of statistical analysis we grouped both success factors and success criteria in order to create latent variables, which describe the behaviour of each variable in a suitable way. Six components can be separated during the Factor Analysis of success factors. The first factor is the project objectives. It indicates the detailed development of project aims, tasks and project plans. The next factor, contract strategy, includes the financial conditions of sub-contracts as well as the responsibility sharing among organizers and contractors. The third factor is project leadership, which contains variables connected to the competence, commitment, scope and responsibilities of project leader and project team. The fourth factor, organizational culture, includes cultural characteristics of the organizing committee, such as information sharing and communication within the committee, support of teamwork and organizational learning. The fifth factor is co-operation and communication. It means the co-operation and communication with direct stakeholders, such as contractors, sponsors and international and national associations. The sixth factor, partnership, contains partnership and conversation with indirect stakeholders, such as national and local authorities, the city and its inhabitants. Due to the content of the factors it is reasonable to assume, that not only hard, task oriented factors are essential in organizing successful international sport events but also soft, relation oriented factors are determining. In the area of success criteria four factors can be separated according to the analysis. The fulfilment of primary objectives factor indicates the adherence of budget as well as the satisfaction of association as client, and of project team. The next factor, fulfilment of further aims, includes the number of athletes and spectators as well as the boost of local economy and popularization of sport and home athletes. These two factors describe the implementation of project objectives, whereas the other two factors, direct and indirect stakeholders' satisfaction, include the content of these stakeholders as well as their approach to long term partnerships.

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5.2 Results of Interviews and Document Analysis

In the course of study supposed correlation between elements of the research model personal interviews and document analysis had been done so far. As far as task orientation it is essential to find appropriate suppliers, to co-operate with them effectively, to keep everything under permanent control in favour of providing adequate resources. This is what caused some problems in case of several events, especially because of misunderstandings and delays resulting from the lack of permanent control and discussions. Furthermore the proper defining of tasks, responsibilities and competences is crucial, as based on organizers' experience, failing this may result in a considerable overlap or the lack of responsibles may lead to the failure of implementation. In the scope of relation orientation, one of the important factors is employing participants who are proficient and competent in their specialties, can work effectively in a project team, and maximally contribute to the realization of the sport event. The essential factor of cooperations are establishing a good relationship with the relevant international association, gaining its support, as well as sharing a national and local commitment, which can strongly contribute to a successful event in case there is a positive attitude, however, in case of a negative attitude it may put difficulties in the way of carrying out the event, for instance in the way of constructions or renovations of buildings. The analysis of random impacts indicates interesting results, where extremes of weather and other accidents (strikes, riots, etc.) may exert a huge effect, as the example of European Swimming Championship 2006 in Hungary showed, where a mounsunlike storm interrupted the program and the broadcasting and timing equipment got soaked.

6. CONCLUSION

The findings of the factor analysis and the results of interviews and document analysis show that not only hard, technical factors play important role in organizing successful international sport events but also soft factors are essential. Regarding the evaluation of success of international sport events beside the implementation of project objectives the satisfaction of project stakeholders is also an important criteria. The next steps of the research will be the preparation and implementation of regression analysis to study correlation between elements of the research model. The statistical analysis of questionnaires and the research results based on experiences gained from case studies reveal the factors that influence the successful organization and implementation of sport events.

7. REFERENCES

Blake, R. R. & McCanse, A. A. (1992). Das GRID-Fuhrungsmodell (Leadership Dilemmas--Grid Solutions), Econ Verlag, ISBN 3430113946, Dusseldorf

Kendra, K. & Taplin, L. J. (2004). Project Success: A Cultural Framework, Project Management Journal, April 2004, pp. 30-45, ISSN 87569728

Kerzner, H. (2006). Project Management, A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling and Controlling, Wiley & Sons, ISBN 0471741876, Hoboken

Lim, C. S. & Mohamed, M. Z. (1999). Criteria of project success: an exploratory re-examination, International Journal of Project Management, 17(4), pp. 243-248, ISSN 02637863

Nyerges, M.--Petroczi, A. (2007). A sportmenedzsment alapjai (The basics of sport management), Semmelweis Egyetem (Semmelweis University), ISBN 9637166432, Budapest

Turner, J. R. & Cochrane, R. A. (1993). Coals-and-Methods Matrix: Ill Defined Goals and/or Methods of Achieving Them, International Journal of Project Management, 11(2), pp. 93-102, ISSN 02637863

DANCSECZ, G[abriella] & SZABO, L[ajos] *

* Supervisor, Mentor